The present invention is related to whipping devices and in particular for whipping devices used in liquids or mixtures thereof for frothing liquids or soluble solids therein.
Beverages, such as coffee, both hot and cold, are enjoyed throughout the world. With hot beverages, especially coffee, many people prefer to drink this beverage with a milk or other similar foam at the top of the serving container, typically a glass, cup or the like. Moreover, decorative drinks have become fashionable, with hot and cold coffee drinks including foamed or froth, single or multiple layers therein both. These drinks are both aesthetic and tasty.
Production of these foam or frothed layer(s) typically requires commercial type machines, such as those found in restaurants and coffee shops that foams and froths milk or the like, by boiling or steaming, and pressurizing the milk or the like. These machines are typically, large, bulky and expensive, making them prohibitive and unsuitable for domestic uses. Even machines specifically designed for the domestic market do not produce foams and froths equivalent to those of the commercial type machines.
Even with the resultant foam or froth produced, significant labor is required to make the foam or froth layer or layers aesthetically pleasing. Moreover, for example, when making milk froth layers in coffee or similar drinks, significant skill of the prepare is required, to select the correct amount of layers, and thicknesses thereof, so as to create the proper balance of milk to coffee, resulting in the desired taste.
The whipping device disclosed in Israel Patent No. 120490, was a first step, and successful step toward providing a low cost domestic use device, for frothing and foaming milk, soluble powders or other liquids, both in and out of drinks such as coffee, hot and cold, or the like. This device however, had drawbacks.
Initially, through multiple uses over time, the bar supporting the whipping head came out of alignment. Also, due to the delicate nature of the bar, it became bent. This resulted in the whipping head moving in a distorted manner with less power, and vibrating, losing energy such that the desired liquid was incompletely or not frothed at all, when the rod was placed into a liquid mixture or the liquid itself.
From a manufacturing standpoint, production was costly, as the whipping head had to be manually balanced on the rod. The rod was also a single part, such that ultimate assembly of the device had to be done manually, in addition to the manual balancing.
The present invention provides an improvement in the art, by providing a beverage/whipping device that protects against rod bending and/or falling out of balance. It also provides a multiple piece rod, that can be easily assembled, by machines in a production line, and with less precision, resulting in lower manufacturing costs. As a result of lessening the rod length, when compared to the device detailed in Israel Patent No. 120490, the drive member decreases torque on the rod, resulting in more concentrated whipping, with less chance of the rod bending or falling out of alignment.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a whipping apparatus having a motor for creating rotational motion, a rod having a first end and a second end, a whipping head that is in communication with the first end of the rod, and a torque reducing member intermediate the motor and the rod. This torque reducing member is in communication with the motor and the second end of the rod.
Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a whipping apparatus that includes providing a rotating element including a shaft joining element, a rod having a whipping head at a first end thereof and a second end, and a shaft of at least two pieces, said at least two pieces correspondingly configured with respect to each other for maintaining engagement therebetween, said shaft including a first end, preferably from at least one of the pieces forming the shaft, adapted for engaging said shaft joining element, and a second end, preferably from at least another of the pieces forming the shaft, for engaging a second end of said rod. The at least two pieces of the shaft are then placed into engagement. The shaft joining element is also placed into engagement with the first end of the shaft, and the second end of the rod is placed into engagement with the second end of the shaft. The placement of the shaft pieces into engagement, and engagements of the shaft joining element and rod with the respective shaft ends, may be at the same or different times.
There is also disclosed a method for frothing liquid comprising the steps of providing at least one in a container and providing a whipping apparatus having a motor for creating rotational motion, a rod having a first end and a second end, a whipping head in communication with the first end of the rod; and a torque reducing member intermediate the motor and the rod, this torque reducing member in communication with the motor and the second end of the rod. At least a portion of the whipping head is then placed into contact with the at least one liquid, and the whipping head is rotated.
There is also a method disclosed for making layered drinks when the liquid detailed above is formed of at least two, preferably different, liquids and at least a portion of the whipping head is then placed into contact with the liquid, and the whipping head is rotated.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a whipping apparatus having a motor for creating rotational motion, an arm in communication with the motor for transferring the rotational motion, a rod having a first end and a second end, and a whipping head. The whipping head is in communication with the first end of the rod. A stabilizing member or element, typically a spring or other flexible member, including elastomeric tubes or the like, is configured for receiving the arm and the second end of said rod, typically in a frictional engagement, and by connecting the rod and arm, allows for the transfer of rotational motion from the arm to the whipping head, via the rod. The flexibility of the stabilizing member allows for self-righting of the whipping head by the gyroscopic effect with the angular momentum created upon operation of the apparatus.